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• Richardson City Council bans smoking in most businesses, including restaurants  

On Monday, the Richardson City Council passed tighter smoking regulations which will eliminate smoking in many public areas. The decision came after seven public meetings that sometimes created contentious public debates including some tension between council members. Exemptions were added for bars and businesses that primarily exist to sell tobacco.

The new regulations would ban smoking in most restaurants. Exceptions would be made for patio areas that are more than 10 feet away from the main entrance . . .

The president of the University of Texas at Dallas student government presented a declaration by the student government council opposing a smoking ban specifically because of the hookah bar issue. He stated that many students attend the hookah bars as a way to relax and to socialize. The declaration was made in part because in previous meetings some proponents of a ban argued that smokers were likely to be less educated. This irritated some professionals who apparently are regular customers at the hookah establishments. With this UTD declaration council member John Murphy declared the idea that all smokers are less educated as "debunked."

Still some audience members still thought the regulations did not protect hookah bars

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